I had the chance this afternoon to speak directly with director Kevin Smith. I let him know that in my 18 years here at Southwest, I have never dealt with a situation like what has been unfolding in the last 48 hours. I let Kevin know we have refunded his airfare. I told him we made a mistake in trying to board him as a standby passenger and then remove him. And I told him we were sorry.
Now, 48 hours later, after talking to many involved, we know there were several things going on that day and that our Employees were doing their best to get his flight out safely and on time, including finding seats for everyone and trying to accommodate standby passengers. The Captain did not single Kevin out to be removed, but he did ask that the boarding be completed quickly. At that time, our Employees made the decision to remove Kevin after a quick judgment call that he might have needed more than one seat for his comfort and those seated next to him.
Although I’m not here to debate the decision our Employees made, I can tell you that I for one have learned a lot today. The communication among our Employees was not as sharp as it should have been and, it’s apparent that Southwest could have handled this situation differently. Thanks, Kevin, for your passion around this topic. You were a reasonable guy during our conversation.
Southwest, like most carriers, has a policy to assist passengers who need two seats onboard an aircraft. The policy is an important one for the comfort and safety of all passengers aboard a plane, and we stand by that 25-year-old policy. This has our attention, and we will be reviewing how and when this delicate policy is implemented.
Comments
Look. I'm not anywhere near a "person of size." I've been on cross-country flights through Southwest Airlines and fit comfortably into my seat with plenty of space on both sides. I'm not saying in any way that a person who is 400-500 pounds should buy one seat but take up a whole row, but Kev Smith is like, 250-300 max? That's not that big, and honestly, if you're a skinny person and that repulsed by sitting next to a fat person, BUY 2 SEATS YOURSELF AND HIDE IN A CORNER! Fat people are some of the most fun people I've ever met. They're entertaining and funny most of the time, because that's how they get by in life. Sit me next to a funny fat guy (or girl) over sitting me next to these stuck-up skinny people who think it's okay to boot a paying customer off the plane just so they can sprawl out. You want to kick fat people off, start kicking off rude people too. They're the ones who ruin my flights.
Here are the stock quotes for LUV (Southwest Airlines)
Feb 10th, 2010: $11.54
April 26th, 2010: $13.23
Something to think about...
Coming from a thin woman who travels frequently.....
You want to know what my most offensive air travel experience was? Sitting next to a man with the most foul body odor I have ever experienced in my life. It made me want to throw up a little in my mouth. My point is when is SW going to make those with foul body odor or the inability to shut the heck up on a flight pay for an extra seat? This is just a ridiculous policy.
I have sat next to many a chubby person and I have to be honest it's never really bothered me a bit. But sitting next to crying screaming brats who can't stay in their OWN seat, people who smell like they've been dumpster diving, or the woman who won't shutup for a 3 hour flight about her pets bowel movements... now that is truly annoying. I don't see SW jumping to isolate these passengers on the flight. You know, I really don't think I'm going to fly SW anymore.
i won't fly south west again not only for a 25 year hatred for overweight people but the smell on the planes and the staff. there rude and nasty.
Your "airline" and "flight attendants" all suck. You are a bunch of liars and cheats and deserve to be grounded - forever. Your company has done nothing but cheapen air travel to the point of where we are today; there are some people that just should not fly and should stay with the Greyhound. You have earned the name Ghetto Air, and still continue to treat your entire customer base with contempt. Yuk. And well done for buying southwestsucks.com ; now that people have to post comments on your moderated site.
I recently had a horrifying experience with a gate agent at a new airport for Southwest. I am an elite flyer on several airlines and often fly cross-country. I am a normal sized person and have followed the Kevin Smith saga with interest.
I will not get into the details of my experience other than to say that I believe Southwest has a serious training problem with their gate agents and how they represent themselves and the airline. I was belittled and treated as if I was an errant child in front of a plane full of passengers.
I fly at least fifty flights a year, often at full-fare and at short notice. Southwest Airlines will never see a penny of my money again. They are a former client of mine and I was recently asked to work with them again. There is no way I would lower myself to work for this company.
I don't if is a moral issue with employees or bad management. There is an oft-repeated quote that applies here. "The fish rots from the head first."
While not too big for one seat, I too have had a similar problem with Southwest and have never flown with them since. I was asleep, in my seat in the back of the plane, when I was asked to leave. The flight attendants said I smelled of alcohol. I replied "yes, you served it to me on the connecting flight".
Folks, we're not talking drunk. Just merely smelling like alcohol. WHICH THE SAME ATTENDANTS SERVED TO ME ON THE CONNECTING FLIGHT.
So they pulled me off the plane in front of all the other passengers. I told them if they threw me off that I would sue, and perhaps that's what got me back on the plane. I asked them to arrange for someone to talk to me in Salt Lake City upon arrival, and of course there was nobody there. That's was my last flight on Southwest, about 3 or 4 years ago. I have decided, even if other carriers are more expensive, to use them instead.
Yes, this "apology" falls even flatter and is more shockingly INSENSITIVE than the original callous acts of the inept employees.
Linda, did you read this before posting it?
Next time, get a proof-reader, maybe someone for whom the issue applies, like a fat person in this case, or a minority if that should become an issue and so on.
You show your obvious bias against this person, who it was even admitted, fit in the seat, yet was still booted off of the plane.
A lousy refund and voucher - for real?!
You made it worse. Shame on YOU too, and know we know why employees at SWA get away with being such jerks. I feel much sympathy for the many FABULOUS employees I've encountered in my many, many flights. Obviously, they have tons more sensitivty and tact than you.
To all the MORONS who are IGNORANT of the fact that KEVIN SMITH *DID* FIT in his seat, but was booted b/c the other MORONS working on that flight, with their unconscionable profiling, ONLY THOUGHT that he might not.
THAT'S !@#$%^&* RIDICULOUS!
More disgusting are the idiots who think that just b/c a company decides to act like A**ES (last I heard SWA is a PUBLICLY-TRADED, national operation, trading under the symbol "LUV" - not some little family business?!) that they have some bogus right to privacy and to be as WILLFUL in their TOTAL DISRESPECT and LACK OF COMMON SENSE as these employees (soon-to-be-fired, I HOPE, as I approach the award of my annual companion pass!) had been.
Instead of blowharding your nonsensical notions of nonexistent corporate privacy, try educating yourself by familiarizing yourself with the UCC and CONTRACT law before opening your mouths and showing your ignorance. Just b/c they are incorporated does not give them the right to be EGREGIOUSLY and WILLFULLY CONTRADICTORY to their OWN policies and agreement in the sale of the ticket in the first place!
You've all been brainwashed by these deregulation nuts that helped cause the great recession. Business are NOT MORE IMPORTANT THAN PEOPLE, even if they have quasi "person" status under the law. Get a grip!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8UR5QVJNEE
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